Considering that the word tozzetto means an irregular and rounded piece, and is the diminutive of tozzo, which refers to something with excessive thickness and width in relation to its height, my tozzetti are not faithful. In fact, the proportions I gave them mean they are more Janet McTeer than Danny DeVito. Fortunately, their length doesn’t compromise their texture and Terry’s Chocolate Orange flavour, or their status as biscotti da credenza (cupboard biscuits).
Today’s recipe is adapted from one by the Neapolitan food writer Simona Mirto, who, since 2011, has built an exceptional website of recipes called TavolArteGusto. Her pie, savoury tart, cake and biscuit recipes and notes are particularly effective. It is from Simona that I learned tozzetti are found in central Italy, particularly in Lazio, with its epicentre in the Tuscia Viterbo area, as well as in Umbria and Abruzzo; and that they originated between the 18th and 19th centuries as cupboard biscuits, designed to use simple, easily available ingredients: flour, eggs, sugar (or honey, which gives a chewier texture) and dried fruit. I have adjusted her tozzetti quantities slightly, to take into account the addition of orange juice as well as the orange zest she suggests. The dough, while slightly sticky, should be firm enough to shape into loaves (the form is rather like small ciabatta), so you may need to add a little more flour (cautiously) or simply work with flour-dusted hands on a well-floured work surface.
As Simona notes, baking them twice – first as a loaf, then in slices – isn’t a technical whim, but a necessity. It dries the dough and ensures two things: a firm but crumbly texture, and that they live up to the name “cupboard biscuits” and last a couple of weeks in the right container (a glass box with a Tupperware lid or a sealed tin lined with baking paper are both ideal). The following recipe makes 28-32 tozzetti if you are going for a Janet form, but will make as many as 50 if you opt for a Danny shape.
The best moment to taste the first one is 14 minutes after you have done all this, when the tozzetti are still slightly warm, the orange zest is oily and alive, and the chocolate is at the pool stage, before it soldifies and reverts back to hard chips. Tozzetti are also considered biscuits to intingere e inzuppare – that is, to dip and soak, so these are ideal alongside or dipped in a warm drink (with or without milk), wine or liquors.
Twice-baked tozzetti with chocolate chips and orange
Makes 28-32
60g butter, softened, or 60ml sunflower oil
150g granulated sugar
Zest of 1 unwaxed orange, plus 2 tbsp orange juice
2 eggs, at room temperature
310g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
6g baking powder
A pinch of salt
150g chocolate chips, or 75g hazelnuts/almonds and 75g chips
Working in a bowl and using an electric whisk, beat the softened butter, sugar and orange zest, until pale and fluffy (this can also be done in a food processor). Add the eggs one by one, stirring in each one firmly until fully incorporated, then add the flour, baking powder, salt, chocolate chips and orange juice. The mixture should be sticky but firm enough to be shaped, so add another tablespoon of flour if required, but go steady.
Working with floured hands, bring the dough into a ball then cut the ball in half. Shape each half into a loaf about 10cm wide x 1½cm deep x 25cm long, then move them to a baking tray lined with baking paper – make sure they are spaced well apart. Bake in the middle of an oven heated to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4 for 15-18 minutes, until lightly golden and puffed up.
Take the tray out of the oven, wait two minutes, then lift the loaves off the tray and, using a sharp knife, cut them into 1cm-thick slices. Arrange the tozzetti flat side down on the tray and return to the oven for four minutes. Flip the tozzetti, bake for another four minutes, then lift on to a cooling rack.
